January 31. 2005

UUARC Continues its Christmas Traditions

During the 2004-2005 Christmas season, in spite of all the excitement of the Orange Revolution, UUARC quietly continued its efforts to unite the people of eastern and western Ukraine.

Students from Lutuhino Internat-School socializing with their peers.

Students from Lutuhino Internat-School in Lviv.

UUARC’s cultural exchange project “Get to Know your own Country” continued this year. Eighteen orphan-students from Lutuhino Internat-School in Luhanska oblast, along with two teachers, made the long trip to Lviv just in time for Christmas. They were greeted by Dr. Andrij Dyda, Director of UUARC’s Lviv office and taken to the dormitories at Lviv’s School n.102. The students visited many sites of interest in Lviv and the vicinity: Skole, Olesk Castle, Pochaiv, the Lviv opera, the theater and the circus. In the evenings they were able to socialize with their peers. Their favorite evening activity was, however, the Holy Supper on Christmas Eve. The children were thrilled with the Christmas customs, and touched by the kindness of strangers in Lviv, who gave them souvenirs, and rewarded their caroling in the center of town. Generally, as has happened in the past, the trip elicited strong feelings of patriotism and good will towards their fellow Ukrainians. UUARC received a sincere letter of thanks from the principal of the Lutuhino school.

Students from Lutuhino Internat-School at Ivan Franko’s monument in Lychakivsky Cemetary in Lviv.

Also, thanks to the efforts of Vira Prinko, the Director of the UUARC Kyiv office, children in eight internat-schools in Mykolayivska and Khersonska oblasts received gifts from St. Nicholas. In addition to sweets and practical gifts, such as warm gloves and hats, all the students also received a copy of Olha Mak’s book, “Stones beneath the Scythe”.

Children in internat-schools in Mykolayivska and Khersonska oblasts received gifts from St. Nicholas

Students from Lutuhino Internat-School at a Taras Shevchenko monument.

Students from Lutuhino Internat-School at a Taras Shevchenko monument.

Students from Lutuhino Internat-School enjoying McDonalds.

Students from Lutuhino Internat-School enjoying McDonalds.

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